Posted on 04/22/2011 9:22:03 AM PDT by Colofornian
answered by a former leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
EASTER PAGEANTS
Most temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) perform pageants. Some, such as the temple where I live in Mesa, Arizona, choose to annually perform a beautiful “Easter” pageant. Mormons and Christians do not share the same understanding of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. In years past, the pageant was performed depicting events in accordance with Mormon teachings. Apparently, in more recent years, when LDS leaders realized that this was offending Christians, they began presenting the Christian view of Easter. The main purpose after all seems to be to draw non-Mormons. During this show, one may find the grounds teeming with Mormon missionaries. They use this performance to get visitors to fill out a card which results in later home visits from missionaries. The non-LDS person rarely knows that the pageant is used for that purpose.
CELEBRATION OF RESURRECTION SUNDAY
Resurrection Sunday itself is pretty much a non-event for Mormons. Although this religious holiday is mentioned among Mormons, I know of none that actually celebrate it in a major way. Most use the time to either view the annual LDS conference televised from Salt Lake, Utah, or discuss the conference or prepare for it.
CHRIST’S DEATH
The Mormon's concept of Jesus is different than the Bible's. When their Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane, he shed there his blood for the transgression of sins. The LDS Church does not accept the biblical idea that Christ's blood was shed on the cross to wash away our sins - present, past and future. Mormons fail to realize that the empty cross is for Christians the symbol of their salvation and the fulfillment of God's promise.
Under the Mormon system of theology, one must in effect, earn their way into heaven. In the LDS Articles of Faith, Mormon apostle James Talmadge states that since your "sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements - 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the [LDS] Gospel.'" [James Talmadge*, Articles of Faith, p. 87.] "Christ's atonement makes it possible to be saved from sin if we do our part," says Elder Boyd K. Packer, an apostle of the LDS Church. Doing “our part” refers a need to work out our own salvation. This is in disagreement with the New Testament's teaching of grace (See Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21-25; Romans 5; Titus 3:5; Luke 18:10-14, Romans 4:5, Galatians 3 and 5:4). According to the Bible one cannot work their way to Heaven. Salvation is by faith alone - acceptance of God's gift of salvation and reliance on Christ's promise of what will happen after our earthly death. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).
The Bible says…
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9
THE RESURRECTION
Mormons believe that Christ's resurrection is their personal guarantee that they and everyone else will also be resurrected. But where they go after death is determined by the number of works they perform in this life and whether they are good Mormons.
When Mormons are asked, “If you were to die at this very moment, where would you go?” If they are honest, they will reply, “Well, I hope that I've done enough good works that I can progress to the highest heaven, the Celestial Kingdom.” Mormons believe that there is a “paradise” or spirit world where all humans go after death. In this spirit world, there are supposedly Mormon missionaries who give you one more chance to accept or reject the message of Mormonism. If you accept, then you are baptized by proxy into the church here on earth. This is known as baptism for the dead. Those that have accepted LDS teachings go to one of the Mormon heavens (Celestial, Terrestrial or Telestial), depending on their earthly works.
Author: Jim Robertson, Concerned Christians. Editor: Paul S. Taylor, Eden Communications.
Reference Note
* Although there are “13 Articles of Faith” in the LDS religion, there is also a book written on the subject called Articles of Faith by the late LDS apostle Dr. James E. Talmage, first published by Deseret Book Co. (the LDS religion's publishing company) in 1899. Mr. Talmage served in the LDS religion as an apostle between December 7, 1911 and his death on July 27, 1933. His book is considered to be an LDS classic. The quote can actually be found in chapter 4, at the top of p. 79 of “Articles of Faith.” (Bob Betts, Concerned Christians)
Copyright © 1998, All Rights Reserved - except as noted on attached “Usage and Copyright” page that grants ChristianAnswers.Net users generous rights for putting this page to work in their homes, personal witnessing, churches and schools.
This won’t be an argument, because I’m not going to argue back. Doing so helps no one.
Last post to the forum on this topic.
St. Paul seems to disagree with this attitude:
Acts 17:16-17While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
(Apparently Pecos is trying to “out-nice” both the apostle Paul — and Jesus as well—...see Jesus’ words to the Pharisees, for example...all goes back to Smith putting a negative spin on the word “contention”...but Smith militated vs. the Bible...Jude 3 says to “contend” for the faith delivered ONCE AND FOR ALL to the saints...Lds not only ignore Jude 3, but essentially preach against it because Smith did)
Do Mormons believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried and resurrected from the dead?
A serious question as I do not know. Thank you in advance and I won't make this into a discussion
Do Mormons believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried and resurrected from the dead?
***
Absolutely
Jesus Christ, Resurrection
http://lds.org/scriptures/tg/jesus-christ-resurrection?lang=eng
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2708975/posts?page=137#137
—...see Jesus’ words to the Pharisees
****
Just who are the Pharisees and the Antis what do they have in common and how they work?
Antis denieth the word of God try to befuddle and confused others the method they use is not of God and no better than the ways of Pastor Terry Jones...
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
Their FR posting track record testifies in their destructive behavior.
Antis are modern day Pharisees
http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/10.1?lang=eng#
1 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Are not the anits trying to steal the flock and destroy the word of God?
John 9 Antis are modern day Pharisees in their endless accusing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!
http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/9?lang=eng#
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
If you did not forget, why did you ping him?
The only thing that makes sense to me as to why you pinged him is...
(1) First weekend of April: PD gets zotted into outer Freeper darkness
(2) April: Perhaps some Mormon FReeper conducts a Mormon ritual where they perform a rebaptism of the Freeper zotted ones...maybe it was done for PD? Who knows?
(3) Last week of April: This article is posted whereby a 19th-century Mormon "apostle" "participated regularly in seances" [see From LDS apostle to spiritualist — the strange journey of Amasa Mason Lyman ]
(4) Coincidentally the last week of April - Freeper Restornu "communicates" to the zotted one in outer Freeper darkness even though we know the zotted one can't receive the ping, nor respond...unless he could do it via spiritualism or something of the like.
Sounds awfully coincidentally eerie, Resty...what's goin' on?
John 9 Antis are modern day Pharisees in their endless accusing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!
Resty, last week the Mormon church had headlines that it had printed its literal 150th million Book of Mormon...in 82 languages fully translated...partially translated in another 25...
If all of those 107 translations have translated 1 Nephi 14:9-10, then that's 150 million Book of Mormons that have endlessly accused other (non-Mormon) churches of being the "church of the devil."
Not to mention all the Pearl of Great Price printings...Lds curricula...online articles...books...etc...
...all endlessly accusing the Christian church of apostatizing for over 1500 years!
All endlessly accusing the Christian church of being "corrupt."
All endlessly accusing the Christian church of embracing 100 abominable creeds.
And even, worse, claiming "God" said these things about His own church in its entirety!
You and your fellow Mormons should be deeply ashamed of yourselves for this endless accusatory parade aimed at the worldwide Christian church!
And to think that you don't think we should respond to these accusations is all the more worse of your personal shame before God.
Repent, Resty! For the Kingdom of God is at hand!
BOO hoo HOO!
Joseph Smith continues: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (, p.270).Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (, p. 119).Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" ( 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" ( 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" ( 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (, vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" ( 10:230).Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (, p. 255).Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (, 18:172).President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (, vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (, 10:127).James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (, p.182).President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (, vol. 3, p.282).More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (, p.316).President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (, vol. 2, p.196).
Don LeFevre, a past spokesman for the church has said the church,
"...strongly advises its members not to affiliate with organizations that are secret, oath-bound, or would cause them to lose interest in church activities."[Salt Lake Tribune Section D1, Monday Feb. 17, 1992]
There goes all the Temple Recommends!
ALL: Read through how Mormon leaders have long referenced Christians and Christianity -- and then you tell us what you think:
Who are the Christians, and what is Christianity, per Mormonism? An 'Interview' Across the Generations with the mouthpieces of the Mormon god, the Lds 'prophets' and 'apostles':
Q. Who is the Christian Jesus?
A. Lds "apostle" Bruce McConkie: ...virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269).
Q: Who is the Christian God?
A. Lds "prophet" Brigham Young: The "Christian God is the Mormon's Devil..." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 5, page 331). “…the God whom the ‘Christians’ worship is a being of their own creation…” (Apostle Charles W. Penrose, Journal of Discourses 23:243).
Q. Who inspires Christians?
A. Joseph Smith: "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).
Q. Where did Christianity in its form between 100 & 200 AD through the 19th century originate?
A. Lds "prophet" John Taylor, who was with Joseph Smith when Smith died: Christianity was "hatched in hell" (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6, page 176) and "a perfect pack of nonsense...the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century..." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6, page 167).
Q. Who is classified as part of the "church of the devil" according to the Book of Mormon?
A Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:10: “Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the Church of the Lamb of God [i.e.. the Mormon Church] and the other is the church of the devil [for example: the Christian Church]; wherefore whosoever belongeth not to the church of the lamb of God belongeth to that great church; which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.”
A. BYU professor Kent B. Jackson: "Since whoever does not belong to 'the church of the Lamb of God' belongs to 'the church of the devil,' as Nephi announced then all systems of worship outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be classified as 'the church of the devil' by Nephi's definition (Kent B. Jackson, "Watch and Remember" etc. from publication By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 3/27/90, vol. 1, p. 87, citing 1 Nephi 14:9-10 from the Book of Mormon)
Q. What is the church of the devil in our day?
A. Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: "What is the church of the devil in our day, and where is the seat of her power?.... It is all of the systems, both Christian and non-Christian, that perverted the pure and perfect gospel....It is communism; it is Islam; it is Buddhism; it is modern Christianity in all its parts. It is Germany under Hitler, Russia under Stalin, and Italy under Mussolini." (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 54-55.)
Q: Do LDS considers themselves one legitimate church among many?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: "This [the LDS] Church...is the ONLY only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30). Lds "prophet" Ezra Taft Benson, who served in the Eisenhower administration: "This is not just another Church. This is not just one of a family of Christian churches. This is the Church and kingdom of God, the ONLY true Church upon the face of the earth..." (Teachings of LDS prophet Ezra Taft Benson, p.164-165). The Lds church "is the ONLY true church upon the face of the earth..." (D&C 1:30)
Q. What then, are the rest of the churches? Apostates?
A. Lds general authority B.H. Roberts: "Nothing less than a complete apostasy from the Christian religion would warrant the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Introduction to the History of the Church 1:XL). Lds "apostle" Bruce McConkie: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); " “The Christian world, I discovered, was like the captain and crew of a vessel on the ocean without a compass, and tossed to and fro whithersoever the wind listed to blow them. When the light came to me, I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 5:73).
Q. While we all know not every member of a Christian church is a true Christian, what difference is there between Christians in Christian churches and Mormons who reference themselves as 'Christians?'
A. Brigham Young: "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).
Q. Go ahead and let it out. How do you really feel about Christians?
A. Lds "apostle" Orson Pratt: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).
Q. Can we at least commend some of the teachings of the Christian church as "truth" and "light" to the world?
A. Lds "prophet" Brigham Young: "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199) "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171);
Q. "Do you believe the Bible?"
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: "'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'.(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Q. 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons?"
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Q. When the so-called Great Apostasy hit the early Christian church, would you say the Christian church was still better off then -- or 17 centuries later?
A. Lds "apostle" Orson Pratt: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses, vol.18, p.44)
Q. Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith...would you like to add anything to this question?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith (10th LDS President) -- "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation that was not, in the year 1820, so obscured by false tradition and ceremonies, borrowed from paganism, as to make it unrecognizable; or else it was entirely denied ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that ALL the `Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation 3:282).
Q. What else did you claim in that vision, Joseph?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: " for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History v. 12).
Q. Is that all?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong) and which I should join. 19 I was answered that I must join NONE of them,
or they were ALL wrong;
and the Personage who addressed me said that ALL their creeds were an abomination in his sight;
that those professors were ALL corrupt;
that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History -- vv. 18-19) [BTW, this isn't just Joseph Smith's "opinion" -- true-believing Mormons are BOUND to treat it as it's been made out to be -- Mormon "scripture"...meaning they believe this to be God's word about Christians)
I deny the words of JS, I do not deny the Word of God found in the Holy Bible.
Mormons on the other hand, have created a house of cards built upon “a complete apostasy” of God’s Word.
I reject the heresy of “a complete apostasy” that mormonism is based upon because of the following;
Matt. 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matt. 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Jesus did not lie when he spoke those words. There was not “a complete apostasy”.
Call me a pharisee, an anti, a pig, etc, all day, everyday. The simple fact is, I don’t care because the simple truths contained in the Bible refute mormonism.
You know if you believe this you are unevenly yoked!
2 Cor 6
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
One has to wonder why after the pure anti-Christian bigotry by mormon leaders and approved by the members for over 160 years, why they now want to call themselves Christian.
***
What a distortion of facts by those who opposed the LDS to murmur “pure anti-Christian bigotry by mormon” when adherence nor an effort to the word of the Lord is not kept!
BTW what was said over 160 years ago was express by the Lord Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith when he asked the Lord which of the sect to join!
One who believes in the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ is a Christian.
The Lord told Joseph that none of the sects were right because they were “practicing the doctrine of men” (which was formed in 325 AD under reign of Constantine) which is not of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:7
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
Romans 13:8
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
1 John 3:23
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
John 15:12
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
THE WORDS OF YOUR LEADERS (anti-Christian bigotry)
ALL: Read through how Mormon leaders have long referenced Christians and Christianity — and then you tell us what you think:
Who are the Christians, and what is Christianity, per Mormonism? An ‘Interview’ Across the Generations with the mouthpieces of the Mormon god, the Lds ‘prophets’ and ‘apostles’:
Q. Who is the Christian Jesus?
A. Lds “apostle” Bruce McConkie: ...virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit” (Mormon Doctrine, p.269).
Q: Who is the Christian God?
A. Lds “prophet” Brigham Young: The “Christian God is the Mormon’s Devil...” (Journal of Discourses, Volume 5, page 331). “…the God whom the ‘Christians’ worship is a being of their own creation…” (Apostle Charles W. Penrose, Journal of Discourses 23:243).
Q. Who inspires Christians?
A. Joseph Smith: “What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).
Q. Where did Christianity in its form between 100 & 200 AD through the 19th century originate?
A. Lds “prophet” John Taylor, who was with Joseph Smith when Smith died: Christianity was “hatched in hell” (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6, page 176) and “a perfect pack of nonsense...the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century...” (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6, page 167).
Q. Who is classified as part of the “church of the devil” according to the Book of Mormon?
A Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:10: “Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the Church of the Lamb of God [i.e.. the Mormon Church] and the other is the church of the devil [for example: the Christian Church]; wherefore whosoever belongeth not to the church of the lamb of God belongeth to that great church; which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.”
A. BYU professor Kent B. Jackson: “Since whoever does not belong to ‘the church of the Lamb of God’ belongs to ‘the church of the devil,’ as Nephi announced then all systems of worship outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be classified as ‘the church of the devil’ by Nephi’s definition (Kent B. Jackson, “Watch and Remember” etc. from publication By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 3/27/90, vol. 1, p. 87, citing 1 Nephi 14:9-10 from the Book of Mormon)
Q. What is the church of the devil in our day?
A. Lds “apostle” Bruce R. McConkie: “What is the church of the devil in our day, and where is the seat of her power?.... It is all of the systems, both Christian and non-Christian, that perverted the pure and perfect gospel....It is communism; it is Islam; it is Buddhism; it is modern Christianity in all its parts. It is Germany under Hitler, Russia under Stalin, and Italy under Mussolini.” (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 54-55.)
Q: Do LDS considers themselves one legitimate church among many?
A. Lds “prophet” Joseph Smith: “This [the LDS] Church...is the ONLY only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30). Lds “prophet” Ezra Taft Benson, who served in the Eisenhower administration: “This is not just another Church. This is not just one of a family of Christian churches. This is the Church and kingdom of God, the ONLY true Church upon the face of the earth...” (Teachings of LDS prophet Ezra Taft Benson, p.164-165). The Lds church “is the ONLY true church upon the face of the earth...” (D&C 1:30)
Q. What then, are the rest of the churches? Apostates?
A. Lds general authority B.H. Roberts: “Nothing less than a complete apostasy from the Christian religion would warrant the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Introduction to the History of the Church 1:XL). Lds “apostle” Bruce McConkie: “Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel” (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); “Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general” (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); “a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom” (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); “ “The Christian world, I discovered, was like the captain and crew of a vessel on the ocean without a compass, and tossed to and fro whithersoever the wind listed to blow them. When the light came to me, I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 5:73).
Q. While we all know not every member of a Christian church is a true Christian, what difference is there between Christians in Christian churches and Mormons who reference themselves as ‘Christians?’
A. Brigham Young: “Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity” (Journal of Discourses 10:230).
Q. Go ahead and let it out. How do you really feel about Christians?
A. Lds “apostle” Orson Pratt: “Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the ‘whore of Babylon’ whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent” (The Seer, p. 255).
Q. Can we at least commend some of the teachings of the Christian church as “truth” and “light” to the world?
A. Lds “prophet” Brigham Young: “With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world” (Journal of Discourses 8:199) “The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God” (Journal of Discourses 8:171);
Q. “Do you believe the Bible?”
A. Lds “prophet” Joseph Smith: “’If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do’.(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Q. ‘Will everybody be damned, but Mormons?”
A. Lds “prophet” Joseph Smith: ‘Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Q. When the so-called Great Apostasy hit the early Christian church, would you say the Christian church was still better off then — or 17 centuries later?
A. Lds “apostle” Orson Pratt: “This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now” (Journal of Discourses, vol.18, p.44)
Q. Lds “prophet” Joseph Fielding Smith...would you like to add anything to this question?
A. Lds “prophet” Joseph Fielding Smith (10th LDS President) — “For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation that was not, in the year 1820, so obscured by false tradition and ceremonies, borrowed from paganism, as to make it unrecognizable; or else it was entirely denied ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that ALL the `Christian’ churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men” (Doctrines of Salvation 3:282).
Q. What else did you claim in that vision, Joseph?
A. Lds “prophet” Joseph Smith: “ for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible” (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History v. 12).
Q. Is that all?
A. Lds “prophet” Joseph Smith: I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong) and which I should join. 19 I was answered that I must join NONE of them,
or they were ALL wrong;
and the Personage who addressed me said that ALL their creeds were an abomination in his sight;
that those professors were ALL corrupt;
that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History — vv. 18-19) [BTW, this isn’t just Joseph Smith’s “opinion” — true-believing Mormons are BOUND to treat it as it’s been made out to be — Mormon “scripture”...meaning they believe this to be God’s word about Christians)
Do Mormons believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried and resurrected from the dead?
***
Cronos an LDS friend of mine wanted to add this
“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it’ ( Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 121).
I chose to believe the Words of Jesus not JS.
Jesus said His Word would not fall away - the Christian Jesus does not lie.
Not true.
JS never recorded or reported that it was Christ and God.
He used the term PERSONAGES.
I suspect that if you or I saw Jesus and God we would use the term "personages" to describe them?
I seriously doubt it.
Oh, and I can provide one of many truthful and factual examples from official mormon literature and scripture if you don't believe me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.